It’s already over eighty minutes.
Only the last ten minutes are left.
Even if they resort to park-the-bus tactics at their home ground, the fans won’t mind, because France Team needs to ensure they deliver a win to their fans.
Robben, Rubeus, they’re both frequently retreating to the flanks for defense.
It’s not just a token gesture of pressing, but actually assisting in defense in their own half.
This makes it difficult for Italy Team to get the ball out of their own half.
However, Italy Team’s strength lies in their solid defense.
Under the passing of Bernulin, Chiavich, Praxedes, the ball never seems to fall.
As long as this defensive line doesn’t have to sprint back and forth, it’s hard for them to encounter issues.
If France Team’s defensive line is a moving iron wall, then Italy Team’s defensive line is a fortified iron fortress, even more impenetrable!
Time continues to tick away little by little.
To maintain possession, Ancelotti and Perrotta frequently switch back to their own half to help with ball distribution.
But this demands a lot from the forwards in terms of offense and stamina.
Lu Yang sent a brilliant pass once, but Ancelotti, despite having a head start, was caught up by the 1.91-meter-tall Lande, missing the opportunity.
And Perrotta, after receiving a perfect pass from Morici, found no one to pass to, was forced to take matters into his own hands, and his final shot was way off target against two defenders.
It’s not that these two aren’t strong enough, it’s mainly due to a lack of manpower.
At the same level, it’s rare to see successful 1V2 or 1V3 situations.
In the eighty-sixth minute, France Team gained possession.
Italy Team didn’t take risks and retreated into their own half entirely, with Lu Yang and Ancelotti beginning to press together, forcing the opponent’s defenders to pass to their midfielders.
Plazza received the ball, Lu Yang continued to rush over, deliberately running towards the passing lane from Plazza to Zidane.
For safety, Plazza passed to Joseph beside him.
Lu Yang charged at Joseph again.
Similarly, this time he didn’t block the passing lane between Joseph and Zidane but chose to move away from his own penalty area to block Joseph’s return pass to Plazza.
Joseph naturally seized the opportunity to pass the ball to Zidane.
"No!"
Zidane exclaimed, but it was too late.
Zidane knew what Lu Yang was up to!
That bad boy was setting up through pressing.
He wanted him to receive the ball.
The defensive midfielder named Lam behind him should have already pounced.
Sure enough!
The moment Joseph passed the ball, Lu Yang instantly changed direction from charging towards Plazza and rushed towards Zidane, just a tad slower than the ball.
Many French fans were holding their breath.
This ball... Zidane was surrounded, it’s dangerous!
But Joseph didn’t think it was terrible.
Because he knew how strong Zidane’s ball-handling skills were.
Moreover, he might have sensed Lu Yang’s intentions, he just thought the ball was safer at Zidane’s feet as an attacking midfielder than at their defensive midfielder’s feet.
The further the ball was from their own goal, the safer it was.
Even if Zidane lost the ball, wasn’t there still himself and Plazza at the back? It’s much safer than losing the ball himself or Plazza losing it.
No sooner said than done, Zidane received the ball with his back to Lam.
Lam extended his foot to snatch it and attempted to press on Zidane’s back to control his position.
However, Zidane turned to the left, executing a Marseille Turn, effortlessly passing by Lam.
A work of art!
This was an artistic-level back-to-the-goal dribble.
The movement was smooth and fluid.
Lam didn’t step up physically, or perhaps the pressure he applied in the contest with Zidane wasn’t strong enough.
Although Zidane is a midfield maestro, his physical contesting ability in this position is quite strong.
If you defend him with the same intensity as you would with a player like Morici, it will only backfire.
French fans, led by Zidane’s movement, cheered instantly.
Marseille Turn!
This is the technical move renamed because of Zidane.
If Zidane weren’t humble, this move should have been called the Zidane Turn!
This scene shouldn’t be on the field but should be enshrined in the Louvre in France!
Bam!
The next moment, French fans were all taken aback.
Because the perfect work of art in their eyes was brutally destroyed by someone.
Lu Yang made a perfect sliding tackle from the side, knocking the ball away while Zidane stepped on it, without making any contact with Zidane himself.
Zidane stumbled.
Lam seized the opportunity, rushing up to take control of the loose ball.
Gambling-style defense!
If Zidane had spun to the right to get around Lam, Lu Yang would have arrived too late.
It was just fortunate that Zidane turned left with the Marseille Turn, sending the ball right to Lu Yang’s feet.
But was this really a coincidence?
Zidane replayed the conclusions he drew from observing left and right before receiving the ball in his mind.
At the time, on the right side, Morici and Canyes both made slight foot movements just as Zidane was about to receive the ball.
At that moment, their toes were pointing towards Zidane, indicating they were ready to pounce on Zidane at any time.
Even if Zidane got past Lam, he would be immediately confronted by Morici’s retreat and Canyes’s pressing.
Conversely, the left side seemed safer.
Though Lu Yang was chasing from behind, Zidane believed that as long as he faced the goal, those behind him would no longer pose any interference.
This is the confidence of a top player.
Only, he didn’t expect he wouldn’t have the chance to face the goal directly.